


The Broken

by Lady_Ganesh



Category: Weiß Kreuz
Genre: M/M, Mentions of Suicide, Pre-Canon, Rosenkreuz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-24
Updated: 2017-11-24
Packaged: 2019-02-06 10:29:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12815592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Ganesh/pseuds/Lady_Ganesh
Summary: Loosely based on the anonymous prompthere.Schuldig has burned through his teammates one too many times; Crawford is his last chance.





	The Broken

Alliances were dangerous in Rosenkreuz, but there were times when consulting with others was the only remaining choice. Difficult students were nothing new, but usually they were dealt with quickly; they were brought to heel, or terminated. It was rare to have two assets too powerful to kill but too unstable to promote. Frau Busch didn't want to do either to them. "What do you think?" she said, when she'd outlined the problem.

"Let's pair them together," Herr Blucher said.

She looked up from her desk, where she’d spread her files, and raised her eyebrows. It wasn't...it wasn't the worst idea.

Schuldig had burned through three teams already. It wasn't intentional--Christopolis had checked--but intentional didn't matter. Schuldig was incredibly powerful, and an asset they wanted, but if he kept mindbreaking the people around him he would be worse than useless. Half the teams had been unsalvageable. Even if the components had been unacceptably weak, there were only so many cleanup missions to arrange and so many assets to lose.

Brad Crawford was the opposite; his power was there, but he was distrustful of it, too hesitant. He didn't excel, because he didn't take chances. And no one on his teams actually _liked_ him, the one thing he did have in common with Schuldig. Without strength and confidence, without allies, he’d made a hash of his assignments; not the disasters that Schuldig had had, but not much for success. Every teammate he’d had had petitioned for reassignment. Clairvoyants were rare, and those with field potential still rarer. Brad Crawford could be the tip of Rosenkreuz's spear. But not if he continued to fail.

If she paired them, in the best case scenario, they would improve one another, compensating for one another’s weaknesses. Worst case scenario...they'd at least not lose another team to Schuldig's unpredictability. And she’d have a good excuse for losing them.

"We'll ask the oracles," she said. “If they agree, we’ll try it.”

 

Brad Crawford had heard of Schuldig, of course; everyone at Rosenkreuz had. You didn't send back your team in physical and mental pieces--much less _three times--_ without getting a reputation.

Most of the students at Rosenkreuz were obviously afraid of him. Crawford couldn't be bothered. Clairvoyants were well-shielded against most telepaths, and while his other powers could be unreliable, his shields had always held. For that matter, Crawford had seen the future, and Schuldig had no part in it. He had a team, almost in place; a boy he'd see in a year, in an orphanage in Japan; the Irish madman who was undergoing shock treatment in the 'infirmary.' His plans--the ones he shared with no one, the ones that he hid under mental layers of uncertainty and ego. Schuldig might be an inconvenience, but he wouldn't stop Crawford. He knew that.

He looked out the window, over the iron gate. The sun was shining. Freedom was out there. He’d find it. It was only a matter of time.

"Huh," the voice over his shoulder said. "I didn’t know the instructors let you do that." Schuldig, of course. He hadn't seen the telepath very often, but he'd know that nasal voice anywhere.

"Do what?"

"Radiate smug," Schuldig said. He walked beside Crawford and looked out the window. "They tell me to stop when I do it." He smiled at Crawford, sidewise. His hair was a riot of color, green and blue, white at the roots. "Or did you just slip and let your shields down too low?"

"My shields are fine," he said, not turning. Most of Rosenkreuz thought he was a block of ice, and he did his best to encourage the impression. He kept his face impassive. "Are you supposed to be meeting me here, or have you slipped your handler's leash?"

"I’m meeting you tomorrow morning. And I don't have a handler," Schuldig said, leaning back a little. "Not right now, anyway."

"Everyone has a handler."

"He shot himself half an hour ago," Schuldig said, with satisfaction. “Some people just aren’t meant to be working with telepaths.”

What kind of sadist was he? "Aren't you on your last chance?"

"With a _team,"_ Schuldig said. "That's why I'm supposed to be meeting you. Did you forget? Were you lost in the future?"

"You're not going to last," Crawford said.

"Really."

"I've seen it. The future. And you're not in it."

"So smug," Schuldig said, his lips curled back in what was either a smile or a snarl. His eyes were amused, at any rate. They were a startling blue. "Tell me, Bradley--"

"Crawford," he snapped.

"Crawford," Schuldig said, his voice thick with sarcasm. "Herr Crawford. Did you see meeting me? Did you see our joint assignment?"

"I--" He hadn't. He hadn't even seen Schuldig's face. He'd thought it was because the telepath had been beneath notice. He'd thought--

Schuldig stepped close, so close his breath puffed against Crawford's cheek. There were rules about physical contact at Rosenkreuz. Schuldig was right on the edge of them, and it was clear he enjoyed the fact. "You haven't seen me at all," he said. "Have you?"

"That's not possible," he said. They'd told him about everyone at Rosenkreuz who could evade his power. There was Herr Hamill, a fellow clairvoyant, Frau Thorn, she was--

Only the supervisors. Not the students.

Crawford wanted to slap his own forehead. His mind reeled. What else had he missed? What else could Schuldig know, or do?

What else had he learned about Crawford?

"Well," Schuldig said, his breath hot on Crawford’s cheek. "Look at that. Your shielding's gotten much better! Or maybe you've just gotten a little less _smug."_ He laughed, his harsh voice brightened by his amusement. "I'll be seeing you, Brad Crawford. Even if you don't see me first.”

"You can rot in--" Crawford began, but Schuldig was already walking away.

 _I already know you like the view,_ a voice said in his head.

Crawford opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Schuldig's voice was there:

_Don't worry, Herr Crawford. I’ll keep that secret. You're not hard on the eyes, yourself._  



End file.
